Tourism Industry in Egypt

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Tourism Industry in Egypt

Post by Goddess »

Tourism industry regains optimism

By Salah Attia

Regardless of regional developments on the heels of the Israeli onslaught on Gaza, uncertainties about the global economic recessions are deepening. No one knows when and how this economic crisis will be over.

Speculative assessments are misleading. However, such chaotic circumstances did not slow down my optimism over the future of tourism. The reasons are many. First of all, the global economic crisis will not last forever. There is a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel. Secondly, we have to work hard and maintain strong optimism under any circumstances. Thirdly, pessimists and optimists are seeking the same goal: an end of the crisis as soon as possible. That is why I admired Minister of Tourism Zoheir Garranah for his unshakeable optimism that concerted and carefully-planned efforts between the Government and the private sector would eventually produce remarkable results.

In his annual press conference, the minister disclosed that these efforts helped increase tourists, by four million. Such a success had a favourable impact on the job market and the country's revenues of hard currency. We hope that everybody interested in tourism industry at home to maintain as much optimism as the minister's. In his press conference, the minister reviewed the situation of the global tourism industry. Although he confessed that uncertainties became overwhelming, he asserted that Egypt's tourism was acting differently by making the best use of the nation's potentials to reduce the effect of this crisis. Garranah explained that Egypt was one of four major tourist destinations popular for their winter seasons. “That is why we should not feel despair,” he declared, noting that a strong competition would take place in summer season starting in May this year.

The minister urged that new strategies should be proposed in advance to survive the decline in the number of tourists in summer season this year. “Nobody, including the World Tourism Organisaion, can provide accurate and correct assessment of the decline of tourists,” he added, noting that everybody was overwhelmed with fears about what is in store for them. “More jobs are cut in the industrial markets in different countries,” the minister regretted. “Many institutions and companies have been closed down with the result that trade exchange and profits have plummeted,” Garranah said, remarking sympathetically that many workers became suspicious, whether they would be the next to lose their jobs.

Explaining the merits of Egypt's tourism, Garranah said that pensioners were constituting a good category of tourists planning to visit Egypt. “These pensioners are not likely to change their minds,” he confirmed. But he suggested that some of these tourists would prefer to take part in cost-saving trips inside their countries or by stopping flying to distant tourist destinations. “As far as Egypt is concerned, it (Egypt) is a short distance from Europe,” he emphasised. “Accordingly, Europeans will resume their travels to our country.”

Elaborating on Egypt's efforts to survive the crisis, Garranah said that in collaboration with tour operators abroad the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism had decided to intensify publicity and advertising campaigns in major markets. “We are also planning to upgrade cost-cutting co-operation with charter flights flying to Mersa Alam, Taba, the North Coast and Aswan.” In his assessment speech, Garranah disclosed that his ministry would be increasing attention to eastern European markets. “High-profile campaign highlighting the image of Egypt and its destinations will also be launched in China, India and Korea, regardless of the decision of their tourists over their travels abroad,” he explained. “The name and the image of Egypt should be everywhere all the time, regardless of the costs,” he pledged.

Garranah estimated the proceeds of Egypt's tourism at $11 billion. “These profits obtained after we launched $40 million publicity and advertising campaigns in different markets overseas,” he explained proudly. “This means that a US dollar to be spent on publicity will yield about $275 and offer 200, 000 jobs. In his annual press conference, Garranah urged tourist sector at home to abandon pressures to wage a price war. He said that a price war launched in 1997 generated disastrous consequences, which were over only after seven years. He proposed that an 'offer' would be more successful and safer than the reduction in prices. “For instance, the tourist would welcome an offer inviting him to extend his stay two nights if he buys five nights and so on,” he proposed.

The minister appealed to the press to carefully weigh their reports and avoid sensational coverage or speculations, which could send wrong message about the situation of domestic tourism industry. “Egypt is more fortunate than other countries, which had to deal with a 70 per cent decline in their tourism industry,” he said. “The impact of economic crisis on Egypt's tourism is less than any other country,” he emphasised, disclosing that the Egyptian tourism had lost only 13,000 tourists in the first week of December last year. “Moreover, a decline in the number of tourists in a certain destination, such as Sharm el-Sheikh or Hurgahda, would be parallel to an increase in different destinations.”

To substantiate his optimistic vision, Garranah said that the number of tourists, who had visited Egypt since he assumed his office, increased to 12.835 million (an increase of 60 per cent) from 8.6 million in late 2008. “The 25 per cent growth in tourism industry in Egypt from January to August declined to 11 per cent in September, increased very slightly in October and plummeted to 2.8 per cent in November and -4.5 per cent in December,” he remarked.

Explaining his ministry's future plans, Garranah confirmed that they were planning to increase the number of tourists to 25 million in 2020. “This success will be achieved easily by supporting the basic foundations and facilities to cope up with this big number of tourists,” he urged. Rejecting suggestions that some travel agencies would cut jobs to reduce their losses, the minister reminded that Egypt's tourism had been used to such chaotic circumstances. “Instead of getting rid of qualified and skilled staff and workers, everybody in the tourist sector should have the opportunity (the recession) to suggest plans to improve the quality of their services and activities,” the minister said. He paid tribute to the human resources in this particular sector when he asserted: “Qualified staff and workers have also been behind the successes achieved in Egypt's tourism industry.” Also stressing the importance of training programmes in this field, Garranah disclosed that his ministry was ready to allocate bigger budgets to achieve this strategic goal. He referred to high-profile training programme his ministry was supervising in collaboration with Corneal University and the Federation of Egyptian Travel Chambers. Other programmes have been launched in collaboration with Ireland and Austria to upgrade the skills of technicians and graduates of tourism colleges. Different programmes are planned basically to upgrade the skills of civil defence teams on floating hotels. The Ministry of Tourism is planning to establish Civil Defence Training Centre in Luxor.

Garranah also emphasised to the press conference that bus drivers co-operating with travel agencies would undergo high-level training as well to reduce road accidents, which disturb the reputation of the Egyptian tourism. “An international driving training centre will be established in Egypt,” the minister said, disclosing that Austrian instructors would manage the new centre, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior.

New changes
Tourism Development Authority changed its land investment-distribution policies in 2008. The Authority completed a project suggested to develop tourist sites in the North Coast within a year. Moreover, work is currently underway to develop Farma area in North Sinai this year. The project will benefit the Road of the Holy Family and the northeastern side of Lake Qaroun. On the other hand, Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif decided to form a committee tasked with maintaining co-ordination of different authorities and organisations in this respect, including the Supreme Council of Antiquities, SCA, which would resume its archaeological exploration in the area. Garranah stressed that his ministry was keen to support financially tourist provinces. He estimated this support at LE25 million last year.

Garranah confirmed that his ministry was paying increasing attention to save tourists from intimidating situations. He also said that they supported suggestions to encourage Egyptian families to visit tourist sites across the country during the mid-year school vacation. “We are planning programmes to encourage Egyptian families to make use of different official and religious holidays as well as to travel to places of interest at home,” he said.

During his press conference, Garranah said that the tragedy of Palestinians in Gaza had compelled them to extend the arrival date of tourist caravans from different Arab countries to February 9. Garranah told the press conference that his visit to the US (late in November and early in December) was very successful as his talks encouraged bigger number of Americans to visit Egypt. He estimated the number of US tourists who visited Egypt in 2008 at 330, 000. “This figure is two times bigger than the number of Americans, who visited Egypt four years ago,” Garranah remarked.

http://www.egyptiangazette.net.eg


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Post by FABlux »

Garranah confirmed that his ministry was paying increasing attention to save tourists from intimidating situations
but the caleches are still around :roll:
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